Raising Angeal
by Horribibble
Summary: General Angeal Hewley didn't expect to get saddled with 'fixing' his sister's kids. Zack Fair didn't expect to get saddled with 'fixing' General Hewley. But, just maybe, these kids can do some 'fixing' of their own. AngealxZack SephxCloud GenXAer
1. The Drop

**A/N: **I know. Not the update you've been waiting for. I've been in college, and I recently found out that my father passed away. I'm not particularly inclined to push anything, but writing what comes to me helps me relax. Please try to understand. Thank you.

**Pairings: **Angeal x Zack, Sephiroth x Cloud, Genesis x Aerith.

* * *

Raising Angeal  
Part One: The Drop

_-And what the hell do I do with these?!-  
_

* * *

Angeal Hewley was not cut out for this. In retrospect, he might have expected it, with as much of a self-absorbed, thrill-seeking crazy as his sister had been. He should have tried harder to talk her out of this.

He couldn't _do _this. He was a _SOLDIER, _not a daycare service. He didn't have a maternal bone in his mako-soaked _body_.

Dropping a pair of kids on his doorstep with a, "Watch these, 'kay?" was pretty much the most cost-effective way to give the man an aneurysm.

"Hey!" He barked, gruffly.

The reddish brunette—Generic, was it? Angeal had never bothered to make certain—had already gone for the Buster Sword, but froze, shocked, at the sound of his voice.

Angeal caught the hilt of his weapon just before it could come crashing down. Then came the flood. A pair of wide, startled green-blue eyes stared up at him as he released a barrage of scolding words, finishing with, "Do you _want _to die?"

The eyes narrowed as a sudden, muffled sobbing noise came from behind him.

"Nice job, _jackass_."

He whirled around to face a yet more terrifying sight.

Thin, frail shoulders shook.

The tiny body curled itself into a ball.

Big, blue eyes overflowed with salt water.

Angeal heard a door slam shut behind him.

The blonde—Klaus?—was crying.

* * *

**  
A/N:** I hope you enjoyed it. :) The next chapter is longer.


	2. Fix It!

**A/N: **And part two. I'm not sure I feel 100% about this one, so I may edit it later. Do tell what you think.

**Pairings: **Angeal x Zack, Sephiroth x Cloud, Genesis x Aerith.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own it. Oh, the things I could do…

* * *

Raising Angeal  
Part Two: Fix It

_-Call the plumber! It's leaking!-_

* * *

Zackary Fair was woken abruptly by a pounding at the door.

The sudden, booming noise from the entry had him scrambling from his bed in a tangled mess of sheets, limbs, and muffled curses.

"Shit, Zack," The groggy sound of Kunsel's usually-soft voice drifted through the thin dormitory wall, "What'd you do _now_?"

"I dunno," Zack returned, "I haven't _done _anything since the lap pool last week. …'least… I don't _think _so."

"Don' care what it was, Fair! Git the damn door!" Watt Hyde, the irritable cadet on Zack's other side, joined the fray.

"I'm going, I'm going! …_Sheesh._" Zack placated, escaping the confines of his blankets and stumbling towards the door.

The banging abated for a moment before starting up, if possible, more frantically.

Zack steeled himself, taking a few steadying breaths before opening the gateway to his disciplinary doom.

"A-Angeal? I mean, Sir?" The dark-haired recruit straightened up, prepared to salute the General when he noticed the little sniffling, gasping noises.

He didn't have much time to examine the source before the bigger man thrust it at him.

"He's leaking. Fix him."

Zack blinked, eyes the size of dinner plates.

"I…hey, there…"

This was unbelievable.

Here, at 12:54 A.M., in the middle of a Cadet bunk hall, at _Zack Fair's door_, stood General Angeal Hewley.

Not _only _General Angeal Hewley, but General Angeal Hewley holding a _kid_ awkwardly under the arms and demanding he be fixed like a broken toy.

Zack would have laughed if he hadn't taken a better look at the little guy.

_Shiva_, he was cute.

And crying.

With the biggest, bluest eyes Zack had ever seen, in or out of SOLDIER.

He focused on the kid, maintaining eye contact and producing the most comforting smile he _could _first thing in the morning, "Hey, there." He repeated.

The kid paused in his struggles to look up at him, his lip quivering in a moment of pure, heartbreaking adorability before returning to his sobbing and squirming.

Zack blinked again, looking back up at the General's face, "Uh…permission to speak freely?"

The man's eyes narrowed, "Don't you do that _anyway_?"

"Sorry, Sir, but uh…when did you sprout a kid? And…why's he cryin'?"

"He's one of my sister's. And he just—."

"He yelled." The little blonde said, his voice tiny and soft, "Genesis touched somethin', and he yelled real loud."

"So that's his name…" Angeal nodded his understanding, child still extended.

Zack sighed, taking the boy gingerly, "Genesis is…your brother?"

The blonde wasted no time burying his head in the cadet's shoulder, nodding against the skin.

Zack rested his chin atop soft, downy blonde spikes, looking sidelong at the First, "And General Hewley yelled at him?"

Another nod.

The kid started shaking.

Angeal opened his mouth as if the defend himself.

"What did he touch?"

"I d-."

"The Buster Sword. It nearly fell on him."

"Ah." Zack made a soft, clicking sound. The massive sword was as much a part of General Hewley as creepy rumors were part of Dr. Hojo. "That's a pretty big sword. Your brother was lucky it didn't hurt him."

"….it was loud. Genesis is mad…."

"How old is he?"

"Thirteen."

"Trust me, man. Thirteen-year-olds are _always_ mad. It's a _hormone_ thing."

The kid made a little laughing noise, pulling out of hiding just a bit.

Angeal was watching as if Zack were making a scientific breakthrough.

Zack rolled his eyes at him, mouthing, 'He's just a kid.'

"How old—?" Angeal attempted, but the blonde squeaked, clinging tighter to Zack.

"Aw, hey, kiddo. General Hewley just wants to get to know you. Right, Sir?" Zack beamed at the other man.

"…Right." He didn't have the energy to smile right now, but he made an effort to look as unthreatening as possible.

"…I thought he was 'Angeal'…"

"Huh?"

"That's what she called him."

"Your mom?"

Vigorous nodding.

"Well, to me, he's General Hewley," Zack winked, "But I'll _bet _he'll let you call him something better."

"Why can't you call him somethin' better?"

"I'm in a lower position. General Hewley's my C.O. –my commanding officer. Oh! Hey!"

The blonde squeaked again, eyes bugging.

Zack grinned, "My name's Zack Fair, SOLDIER cadet. I hope to make promotions, soon, but 'til then, I'm just a grunt. So: What's your name?"

"…I'm Cloud…"

"Cloud, huh? Well, Cloud, let's try this again," He turned the boy to face his uncle, "Cloud, this is General Angeal Hewley. General, this is Cloud."

Cloud bit his lip thoughtfully before putting up his hand for a high five.

Zack grinned, and Angeal, awkwardly, obliged.

"It's…a pleasure to meet you…"

Cloud studied him for a moment before offering a shy little smile, "Okay."

Zack set him on his feet, watching with little surprise as the undergrown youth shuffled down the hall, exploring tentatively.

"So…?"

"My sister dropped them off not long ago. …I don't think she's coming back for them."

Zack looked back, startled, "What?"

"My sister has never been the most responsible person. This is just a manifestation…"

"General, no disrespect or anything, but 'manifestation' kinda sounds like a bullshit excuse for 'shit parent'."

Angeal grunted, "None taken. There's a reason we were…estranged. I'm sorry to bother you so early, especially with your training schedule. You _are _coming up on exams, but you seemed like the best candidate. …Nice boxers, by the way." The general arched a brow, indicating the cadet's bright blue cactuar boxers.

Zack crossed his arms over his chest self-consciously, "'The best candidate', huh?"

"Hojo mentioned that you get along with Sephiroth. The boy that lives in the lab?"

"Yeah, I'm good with kids. I have a little sister. So…?"

Angeal nodded, "Thank you, Cadet Fair. I think I can take it from here."

"Somehow, Sir, I _don't _quite _think_ so."

"I'm sorry?"

"Child. Window. That way."

"Wow! We're really far—."

Cloud, in under five seconds, was snatched away from the open hall window and crushed against his new guardian's heaving barrel chest.

Angeal turned, and Zack struggled to repress a giggle fit at the sight of his superior officer's bugged-out eyes as he trooped back to the cadet's door.

"So, you need help, huh?" He smiled.

"It appears so. What can I offer you?"

"Huh? Oh…well, I wasn't really expecting anything, but…I guess…maybe a home-cooked meal, say, once a week? The food here ain't exactly the best."

"Done."

The blonde stress ball smiled brightly in the General's clutches, "Yeah! Zack, you're gonna hang out with us?"

"You bet," Zack grinned, then turned the look on his C.O., "In _that_ case, just call me Super Nanny. Now, uh…can I go back to sleep?"

"Oh. Sure. Thanks again, Cadet."

"Night, Zack!"

"G'night, bud. Don't let your brother kill this guy, okay? He's my ticket to decent food."

He ruffled the soft blonde hair, gave a lazy salute, and re-entered his dorm room, shutting the door in his wake.

Angeal stared at the door for another five minutes, cactuar-print boxers dancing in his head, "So…Zackary Fair…"

"Yep."

Angeal blinked down at the blonde in his arms, a shy smile greeting him.

"Genesis doesn't stay mad long. S'okay. The door's prob'ly not blocked anymore…"

The General snorted.

"Trust me, Cloud. I'm a First Class SOLDIER. If he thinks a barricade can keep me out, he doesn't know Angeal Hewley."

"But _you _don't know _Gen_. …Or me." He added the last bit sadly.

Angeal sighed, "I've got a feeling I'm going to."

Cloud's grip tightened.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, after all.

* * *

**A/N: **I did say this part would be longer. :)


	3. Door Dings

**A/N: **Part three. I'm trying to add a bit more 'meat' to my writing. Behold, the might paragraph! As always, subject to revision. Also, I have reviews for 'chapter 3', so I must have added it, but if that's so...where the hell did it go? o.O

**Pairings: **Angeal x Zack, Sephiroth x Cloud, Genesis x Aerith.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own it. Oh, the things I could do…

* * *

Raising Angeal  
Part Three: Door Dings

_-The only common denominator between an elevator and a vase.-_

* * *

Angeal Hewley was a living legend. He was a brilliant tactician, a great leader, and a powerful warrior. Shinra plastered his face all over every event they possibly could. Which is how cadet first class Zackary Fair had obtained the little naked picture he kept hidden in one of the horrendously mind numbing tactics books that no one in any cadet class _ever _was likely to have cracked. For the sake of security, he kept _that _under his pillow and informed anyone that asked that he was the unfortunate victim of spinal problems.

Right.

He'd managed to coax Reno, one of his little Turk 'buddies', into getting the sketch for him based off of one of his favorite photos of the general. Reno's 'source' had refused to work from anything but a proper image, so press footage was a no go. The entire affair, while worth it, was hugely embarassing. Zack had to _dig _for enough dirt to keep Reno from narking on him to any interested ears.

In summary, Zack was head over heels, possibly maybe _gaga_ over Angeal Hewley. His CO, his noble leader, and hopefully, one day, his mentor.

And now the man wanted him to help out with his kids. Zack didn't know whether he should sob for joy or explode from nerves. Then again... Whenever he thought about those kids, and their mother dumping them off the way she had...it made his stomach hurt, full of some strange mix of sadness, confusion, and anxiety. He couldn't come up with anger, no. They weren't his, and it wasn't his place.

But maybe...

Zack closed his eyes, letting his imagination run wild. He could see, so vividly, images of Angeal's smiling face, images of Angeal cooking...then, suddenly, images of Cloud, tugging on Zack's hand, beaming up at him.

_'Come play!'_

Hey.

Maybe they could be.

That was one of the best nights of sleep Zack ever had.

* * *

The night was, unfortunately, interrupted by the crude blaring of his standard-issue black cell. The sleek little thing had seemed like a killer perk at first, but it became quickly apparent that the boys in R&D had engineered the damn things to do deep and lasting damage to the psyche of every cadet ever to enter Shinra's ranks.

Generally speaking, after about a week of having one in issue, the average troop would start hearing phantom cell shrieks. Older soldiers joked about it, but it was clear that the paranoia was pretty much universal.

Zack made a little sobbing noise, now halfway off of his bed, simultaneously feeling about for his phone and holding himself up off the floor.

Various muffled growls and curses and a 'FUCK YOU, JACKWUSS!' came from the rooms bordering on his own before he finally managed to find it, flip it open, and press it in the general vicinity of his ear.

"Why, G-d, why?"

"You know, I've been asking myself the same question since about 0120." The voice on the other end was a familiar one, but the low, gravelly sleep-deprived tone was a _nice _new touch. Almost made up for being woken up at AAAAAAAH!-o-clock in the morning. Zack felt himself stiffen, despite the tired ache throughout his body.

"...General Hewley?" He mumbled, "_Again?_"

"'Again' what, Fair? I haven't been to sleep. It's only been an hour. Are you _crying?_"

"Sir, yes, sir." Zack sobbed before pulling himself together, suddenly much more awake once he realized he'd just admitted to acting like a (quote), 'whiner baby' to his C.O. , "Shit. I mean no. Dammit. What time...?"

He looked at the clock, regarding the blaring red '2:07' with trepidation, "I have a running course in the morning. I'm gonna pass out in, like, five different languages. How did you even get this number?"

"I looked in the cadet directory. And I can excuse you—" Angeal's voice broke off as a child-like wail took up in the background.

"Holy-! Was that Cloud?" Zack nearly threw himself off of his bed, sweeping the floor for something clean enough to wear and yanking the articles on.

This, as it turned out, wasn't quite the right move, as the cell phone took a quick dive to the floor, landing open, screen glaring up at him.

"_Shit._" Zack fastened his pants, shirt still hanging open as he bent down to scoop up the phone.

He was about to hit redial when the little device shook in his hand. There, on the LCD, was an address, followed by a short message:

_'My place. 0220. Don't walk. Run._"

This wouldn't end well.

* * *

Zack made the distance in a record eight minutes, nearly _crashing _into the lobby door at 0215.

He stared at the security module next to the door with a sort of disdain that could only be attained between the hours of one and seven.

He was about to brave whatever ridiculous security measures the SOLDIER barracks had in store when the door made a series of intimidating mechanical noises before a light, pleasant 'ding'.

"Ooookay." Zack mumbled, walking through after a brief moment's hesitation. He nearly screamed when a feminine voice wished him a 'most pleasant day from everyone at Shinra Corp." He did, however, allow himself a shiver.

There was just something _wrong _with that.

He was ready to take the stairs up to save time when the elevator issued an almost plaintive dinging noise. Everything about this place felt perversely lavish when he thought back on his tiny dorm space. It was no wonder SOLDIERs had such strenuous training. Their dorms were working against them.

Zack started up his squats while he waited for the right floor.

As soon as the doors slid open, imparting another disturbing mechanical sentiment, Zack's nerves got worse.

There was shouting, now, from more than one person.

"General Hewley?" Zack called before approaching the door. He raised his fist to knock, but drew back at the sound of glass shattering very near the door.

The door opened mere seconds later to reveal a shirtless Angeal Hewley looking deliciously disheveled, but for the nasty looking gash on his left cheek. "Cadet Fair, if you were going to kill a thirteen-year-old, where would you hide the body?"

The question was low and soft, and entirely too serious.

"I'm going to chalk that up to sleep deprivation, sir."

Angeal's eyes narrowed a little, as if he were about to drop off to a particularly angry sleep, "Someone's going to be deprived of _something _if he keeps this up much longer."

Zack's eyes slid over to the massive water stain on the wall near the entrance before moving down to the mess of glass and flowers that was most likely once a vase, "I take it you got Genesis out of _your _room, Sir?"

"...How did you know he was in my room?"

Zack pointed past the General and into the chaotic disarray that now constituted his apartment, "Damage radiates outward from—," The cadet's eyes widened, "What happened to your door?"

"I broke it."

"You _broke _it?"

"It was in the way, he was behind it—it's two 'o clock in the morning and suddenly I have children, Fair, was I supposed to charm him out with my expert parenting skills?"

"Well, no, but...I've never heard of anyone _breaking in _the door for a teenage fit, Sir. A drug bust, maybe."

Angeal gave him an expectant look.

"...My Da always jimmied the door hinges out." He finished lamely, casting a sheepish look at his feet.

Which was all well and good, because it was about then that a weepy bundle of blonde adorability beelined for his legs.

"_Zaaa~aaack!_"

"Hey, Cloud. What happened?" He bent down, if a little awkwardly, to touch the blonde's back and frowned at the little tremors racking the scrawny boy.

"Ang-geal tried to break the _door_-an'-an' Gen said-'f-f-' he said _bad_ shit an' then _he-," _The blonde pointed at Angeal, ignorant of Zack's surprised expression, "_**Wham!**_ An' Gen came out an' _screamed_ an' _**CRASH! **_An'...an'..."

Cloud paused, sniffling a little before turning huge, watery blues up at Zack, "He tied Gen to a _chair_."

"He _what_?"

Okay. That damaged the whole 'fantasy man' image. Tying _Zack _up might be okay once in a kinky blue moon, but hog tying a _thirteen-year-old_? Big no no. Almost a deal breaker. Until Zack glanced back at The _Abs._

No. No!

Crying child!

Zack glared at his C.O. with as much disapproval as he could in the face of direct superiority.

"He tied me to a fucking chair."

All eyes but Cloud's—which were still pressed into Zack's leg—focused on the pretty redhead on the other side of the room, toying with a kitchen knife.

Okay, that was a bad sign.

Angeal tensed up.

"Hi," Zack offered weakly, "You must be Genesis."

"Rot in hell, heathen."

He threw the knife down, massacring a poor, defenseless throw pillow before turning on his heel and heading into another room, slamming the door behind him.

"Perfect," Angeal grunted, "That was going to be _his _room."

Zack couldn't help but laugh, "I guess the threat of another witness cut his adolescent rage."

"How are you at making coffee?"

"Bless you, General Hewley."

Zack took the liberty of picking Cloud up and holding him in one arm before heading in the direction that Angeal pointed.

* * *

Angeal watched the dark-haired candidate closely over the rim of his mug, leaning back against the couch opposite the one the cadet occupied. The kid was good, that much was certain. While he was a competent cook, any pot of coffee that Angeal made was, by virtue of its maker, doomed to taste like road dirt and steel polish.

Zack's, on the other hand, tasted like pure, energizing heaven. The SOLDIER could almost forgive the incessant stinging in the left side of his face as tender for the good coffee and pleasant company. At one point, he had thought Cadet Fair was nothing but a little puppy—annoying and yappy.

But so far, the boy had managed to halt a rampaging teenager, make some of the best coffee Angeal had ever tasted, and calm down a distraught grade schooler who, for some reason, had the power to twist the SOLDIER's heart strings after a mere few hours of association.

Fair offered a lopsided grin from his place on the other couch, holding his coffee cup in one hand and petting soft, blonde hair with the other.

Angeal sighed, "I have to offer you an apology, Fair. I haven't exactly behaved according to code tonight."

Zack snorted, "Permission to speak freely?"

"You're in my apartment, making me coffee, saving me from a murder conviction. Say whatever the hell you want, cadet." If Zack weren't mistaken, he could swear there was a smile on his C.O.'s lips.

He shook his head, "General Hewley—"

"Angeal."

"An...Angeal," Zack said a minimum of eight grateful prayers in his head, "You just became designated daddy for a needy little kid and a hormonal teenager. At least it was only an attempt."

Angeal laughed.

"I think you're gonna be okay."

Maybe puppies weren't so bad.

By the time dawn hit, Zack had learned a few things.

One, Angeal Hewley sucked with teenagers even worse than he sucked with kids.

Two, Angeal Hewley had a kitchen which—Zack was fairly certain—could make his mother spontaneously orgasm.

Three, Angeal Hewley was awfully cute when he was early-morning grumpy.

And four, he could fall completely in love with the little blonde boy sleeping with his head cushioned on Zack's lap.

* * *

A/N: Okay, apparently I took chapter three down for edits and forgot to put it up. Here is the (hopefully) fixed-up version. I'll get right on the next bit as soon as assignment hell ceases to squeeze.


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